How are you feeling about Tavares these days?

[ACC1224]

The room was dead. Treliving said that was one reason he brought in Reaves. But besides the room, his on ice demeanor is too solemn and dispassionate. Plus in 15 years, 10 seasons as Captain he’s led his team past the first round twice. He shouldn’t be part of their future never mind their leadership group. It would be awkward for him and his teammates.

Leaders lead regardless of the letter on their sweater. If Tavares wasn't providing that the rest of the core should have picked it up.
Tavares always struck me as a lead by example player.

 

[ToneDog]

Tavares thinking they are close is kind of amusing.

A good point I just heard.

The Leafs are consistent. 100 points per year. Make the playoffs. Lose.

I am not sure they are close to being close.

You are wrong. They were close to getting out of round #1. If JT thinks they are close to winning the SC, he is dilutional or a flat out liar.

Perhaps Johnny should be tuning in tonight and tomorrow night to see just how far away they really are.

 

[Mess]

Tavares thinking they are close is kind of amusing.

A good point I just heard.

The Leafs are consistent. 100 points per year. Make the playoffs. Lose.

I am not sure they are close to being close.

The 2017-18 Leafs under Lou Lam / Babcock direction finished with 105 points and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games,

The 2018-19 Leafs under Dubas/ Babcock finished with 100 points and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games,

Skip ahead 5 years/seasons

The 2023-24 Leafs finished with 111 points under Treliving/Keefe and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games .

What exactly does Tavares believe this team is close to ?... It feels like a team going NOWHERE and simply repeating like ground hog day spinning their wheels annually and similar end result EARLY each playoff season.

 

[Trapper]

okay so basically it's a guy thing i got it.

The Bromance Daisy.

 

[Jojalu]

The 2017-18 Leafs under Lou Lam / Babcock direction finished with 105 points and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games,

View attachment 867857

The 2018-19 Leafs under Dubas/ Babcock finished with 100 points and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games,

View attachment 867861

Skip ahead 5 years/seasons

The 2023-24 Leafs finished with 111 points and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games .

View attachment 867862

What exactly does Tavares believe this team is close to ?... It feels like a team going NOWHERE and simply repeating like ground hog day spinning their wheels annually and similar end result EARLY each playoff season.

Right!

Not grounded in reality

 

[BrannigansLaw]

Tavares thinking they are close is kind of amusing.

A good point I just heard.

The Leafs are consistent. 100 points per year. Make the playoffs. Lose.

I am not sure they are close to being close.

The only thing he’s close to is the end of his contract and even that still feels too far away.

 

[Mess]

Right!

Not grounded in reality

3 X Different GMs & 2 X Different Coaches and rotating deck chairs on the depth of the team, with same results

However a flawed overpaid Core 4 that consumes > 1/2 the team cap is the consistent that causes the same results. IMO

 

[Tak7]

Wonder if JT's been watching the Bruins/Panthers series so far, and if he still thinks they are "right there" after watching the intensity of that war?

 

[QuadrupleDeke]

The 2017-18 Leafs under Lou Lam / Babcock direction finished with 105 points and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games,

View attachment 867857

The 2018-19 Leafs under Dubas/ Babcock finished with 100 points and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games,

View attachment 867861

Skip ahead 5 years/seasons

The 2023-24 Leafs finished with 111 points under Treliving/Keefe and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games .

View attachment 867862

What exactly does Tavares believe this team is close to ?... It feels like a team going NOWHERE and simply repeating like ground hog day spinning their wheels annually and similar end result EARLY each playoff season.

It looks exactly like the Capitals against Pittsburgh, until they finally beat them for the first time and won the Cup that same year.

 

[Gallagbi]

The 2017-18 Leafs under Lou Lam / Babcock direction finished with 105 points and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games,

View attachment 867857

The 2018-19 Leafs under Dubas/ Babcock finished with 100 points and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games,

View attachment 867861

Skip ahead 5 years/seasons

The 2023-24 Leafs finished with 111 points under Treliving/Keefe and lost to Boston in round #1 in 7 games .

View attachment 867862

What exactly does Tavares believe this team is close to ?... It feels like a team going NOWHERE and simply repeating like ground hog day spinning their wheels annually and similar end result EARLY each playoff season.

We had 102 points fwiw

 

[Jojalu]

3 X Different GMs & 2 X Different Coaches and rotating deck chairs on the depth of the team, with same results

However a flawed overpaid Core 4 that consumes > 1/2 the team cap is the consistent that causes the same results. IMO

You are not wrong

 

[Maple Leaf]

You are not wrong

He is right

 

[Stephen]

Leaders lead regardless of the letter on their sweater. If Tavares wasn't providing that the rest of the core should have picked it up.
Tavares always struck me as a lead by example player.

I don’t think Tavares is really a leader. He’s more like a good veteran, good citizen who would be part of a leadership group, but not a singular captain who should wear a C, but an A.

He’s more like the Spock to someone else’s Captain Kirk. He’s not the star of the show, not the emotional leader, but second in command doing things his way. Yeah fine.

My medium term prediction is the Leafs become a more successful playoff team post Tavares. Not that it’s his fault as an individual but I think the team will come to life a little more after that changing of the guard.

 

[Daisy Jane]

It looks exactly like the Capitals against Pittsburgh, until they finally beat them for the first time and won the Cup that same year.

you know i was thinking that for a while.

people were like. OMG it's not the same.(with Yzerman/Washington) because "they were built to win!" but like that ws the point no? like our struggle is we can't get out of the first round. Washington almost easily skipped to the the 2nd and got trounced (and if they faced Pitts in the 1st round they lost too). I'm not saying that they are CLOSE to win a cup. but honestly if they could just freaking score and had stable goaltending, I think they could at least push towards eastern conference, and then "see what happens" to me that's what they mean by "we're close."

I think the bigger question needs to be asked is why does this team get bored by playing playoff hockey. because they do it and then it's like "okay let's do what we want. again." that's the real issue.

 

[Ports]

Leaders lead regardless of the letter on their sweater. If Tavares wasn't providing that the rest of the core should have picked it up.
Tavares always struck me as a lead by example player.

Unfortunately his example didn’t work out too well.

 

[seventieslord]

I am sure the Leafs will resign him because it's what Toronto does, but I agree with those who say that he should be left to play out the final year of his deal (since he won't waive his NMC) and then let go. What is the point of resigning him to a $4 or $5 million per year contract? At some point it's okay to just move one and take a different approach.

I think the people who keep bringing up this "re-sign JT for cheap" idea haven't fully grasped how much he has already declined and is going to still continue to decline. I think they believe he's an 8 million player and it would be such a bargain to have him in the bottom of the lineup at 3 million. It's not. He's already playing like he's only worth 3 million and it's only going to get worse, and fast.

It's okay to just move on. At the end of next season we don't owe him anything and he doesn't owe us anything.

 

[Stephen]

I think the people who keep bringing up this "re-sign JT for cheap" idea haven't fully drafts how much he has already declined and is going to still continue to decline. I think they believe he's an 8 million player and it would be such a bargain to have him in the bottom of the lineup at 3 million. It's not. He's already playing like he's only worth 3 million and it's only going to get worse, and fast.

It's okay to just move on. At the end of next season we don't owe him anything and he doesn't owe us anything.

You need a culture and generation shift, for new blood to take over the room.

 

[no2ninja]

Tavares thinking they are close is kind of amusing.

A good point I just heard.

The Leafs are consistent. 100 points per year. Make the playoffs. Lose.

I am not sure they are close to being close.

Tavares is paid to believe that the leaf's are close and act and plays like this is the case. In fact this is the reason why I like the guy so much, whish more guys in the league acted like this. If you take a top deal, you should be more than happy to ignore a shortcoming or two, the money is not free and the road before you certainly not flat. I have no problems with his play, wish there was more scoring overall in the post season, but even with the shortage he sure got more than his even share.

 

[Jojalu]

Tavares is paid to believe that the leaf's are close and act and plays like this is the case. In fact this is the reason why I like the guy so much, whish more guys in the league acted like this. If you take a top deal, you should be more than happy to ignore a shortcoming or two, the money is not free and the road before you certainly not flat. I have no problems with his play, wish there was more scoring overall in the post season, but even with the shortage he sure got more than his even share.

He scored one goal.

I like JT. He knows how to compete.

But like the others,, for 11 million you simply need more

 

[ACC1224]

Unfortunately his example didn’t work out too well.

Nope, they seldom do but too much weight is given to that.
Did Stone lead better last year than this year? Did Toews all of a sudden stop leading and kill the Blackhawks runs?

 

[Nineteen67]

He’s playing for Team Canada at the Worlds.

 

[Larcos_Unal]

Wonder if JT's been watching the Bruins/Panthers series so far, and if he still thinks they are "right there" after watching the intensity of that war?

Pasta vs Tkachuk is really the eye opener for me. Pasta showed a lot of balls for a skill guy, 60 goal scorer. Dropped the gloves with Matthew and while he didn't do great, he showed up for himself and his teammates.

Our top guys wouldn't do that in a million years.

 

[Tak7]

Pasta vs Tkachuk is really the eye opener for me. Pasta showed a lot of balls for a skill guy, 60 goal scorer. Dropped the gloves with Matthew and while he didn't do great, he showed up for himself and his teammates.

Our top guys wouldn't do that in a million years.

I loved absolutely everything about that Pastrnak sequence - and then thought about our own core, and how none of them would have the bloody balls to do that.

 

[ACC1224]

Joining Team Canada

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares to join Canada for IIHF Worlds | TSN

Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares is joining Team Canada for the 2024 IIHF Men's World Hockey Championship, TSN Hockey Insider Darren Dreger reports.

www.tsn.ca

 

[Nineteen67]

Pasta vs Tkachuk is really the eye opener for me. Pasta showed a lot of balls for a skill guy, 60 goal scorer. Dropped the gloves with Matthew and while he didn't do great, he showed up for himself and his teammates.

Our top guys wouldn't do that in a million years.

They’d feign injury